This invention relates to programmable logic devices, and more particularly to a new architecture for an erasable programmable logic device ("EPLD") using a multiplexer-based global interconnect array ("GIA") which allows for EPLDs with higher speed and the ability to realize more complex functions than previously possible.
As shown by commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,930 ("Wong"), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, and the references cited therein, programmable logic devices ("PLDs") are well known. As described in Wong, a major obstacle in increasing the logic density in previously known PLDs was the size of the single global interconnection array which increased as the square of the number of output functions. This obstacle was overcome to a large extent by the use of a programmable interconnect array ("PIA") disclosed in Wong. In a PLD using a PIA, a single global interconnection array using erasable programmable read-only memory ("EPROM") cells was used to route signals to and from logic array blocks ("LABs") which contained logic elements, macrocells, and a local interconnection array.
The architecture using PIAs and LABs disclosed in Wong produced a generation of successful PLDs available commercially from Altera Corporation of San Jose, Calif. Yet, to meet ever increasing technological demands, PLDs have been constantly increasing in both size and complexity. In particular, to achieve higher logic density, more logic elements have been incorporated into PLDs and this has necessitated increasing the size of the PIA.
However, a significant amount of the power used in PLDs is consumed in the programmable elements of the PIA, and a major speed limitation is capacitive loading in the programmable elements of the PIA. Increasing the size of the PIA, therefore, leads undesirably to higher power consumption and reduction in speed.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to be able to provide a PLD architecture in which power consumption is reduced by eliminating programmable elements from the PIA.
It would further be desirable to be able to provide a PLD architecture in which speed is increased by reducing capacitive loading on the interconnect array.
It would also be desirable to be able to provide a PLD architecture having a greatly increased probability of successfully routing the required signals between LABs.